India, Oct. 26 -- The Delhi High Court has permitted termination of a 29-week pregnancy of a 17-year-old sexual assault victim, observing that the procedure cannot be merely determined by the statutory period of 24 weeks and has to be examined in the context of the circumstances of each case.

Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the procedure can be done till 20 weeks of gestation period in ordinary cases and 24 weeks in certain categories such as rape survivors. Beyond 24 weeks, termination of pregnancy is permissible only in cases of substantial foetal abnormalities diagnosed by a medical board, which has to be then approved by the court."... it emerges that the question of medical termination of pregnancy cannot be me...